During any job interview, you need to be prepared to impress with more than just your past work experience. While the interview staples of attire, personality, and experience are still very important, savvy hiring managers are also looking for three key things.
1. Results, Results, Results
You may have crafted the perfect resume that outlines all of your strengths. The reality, however, is this may only show your ability to create a polished resume. And while a polished resume is nice, the main thing managers want to see results.
In any job interview, be sure to highlight the specifics about your contributions to the company and specifically revenue. Explain how you accomplished what is listed on your resume. Tell your story about a complicated project and set the tone with undisputed facts about your track record. Managers love to learn about your mindset and how you approached any projects that had tangible results.
(Read The Anatomy of an IT Job Search)
2. Think Outside The Box, But Inside The Culture
It’s important in an interview to talk about your ability to think outside the box. Being able to figure out unique solutions to company problems is the nature of most jobs these days. One way to communicate this is to not talk about what you know, but instead, focus on what you’ve learned during your career. Show your ability to have a student mentality along with your work ethic and accomplishments. Managers will be impressed with your track record of creativity within a given company structure.
Looking for a New Job?
Akraya is an award-winning staffing firm with some of the best clients in the industry.
3. Honesty Is Key
Hiring managers interview a lot of candidates and often have a keen sense of what is true and what is not. They will know a tall tale when they hear one. Try to remember while it’s important to impress the hiring manager, it’s equally important to be authentic and truthful. It’s OK to admit when you’re not sure of the right answer. You may even use an opportunity like this to explain a time in your past when you didn’t have the answer and what you did to find it.